PSA: A batch of fake Nichicon caps just cost me a whole day and a customer

Honestly, last Tuesday I had to redo a power supply repair three times because the new 470uF 25V caps I bought from a new supplier kept failing under load. Ngl, the markings looked perfect but the ESR was way off, and the shop owner in Phoenix who sold them to me swore they were legit. Has anyone else seen these specific fakes popping up lately, maybe with a certain date code?

3 comments

3 Comments

nora_wood431mo ago

That's the worst kind of headache. It feels like everything is turning into a cheap copy these days, from tools to parts. You can't trust the label on anything anymore, even from a guy who looks you in the eye. Makes you wonder what else is fake that we just haven't caught yet.

tessa17722d ago

My own rule is if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. I bought a "vintage" socket wrench at a flea market last year, and the thing practically dissolved in my hand. The seller had such a trustworthy face, too.

hayden_johnson1mo ago

Man, I feel that. Last month I grabbed what looked like a name-brand drill bit, and it snapped on the first use. Now I just stick to the one local shop that lets me test stuff in the parking lot before I buy. Even then, I check the casting marks. It's gotten to the point where I trust my own eyes over any packaging.